Construction for the ventilation and air conditioning of rooms of existing buildings

ABSTRACT

Ventilation and air conditioning system for heating, cooling and ventilating existing buildings, which avoids the necessity of breaking through the walls, floor or ceiling of the building for the provision of air supply and exhaust ducts. This systems consists of an air-tight false building wall, which may be a false front wall of the building in the form of a subframe having air supply and return ducts therein having communication with the interior of the building.

United States Patent Burghartz et al.

[11 3,780,638 51 Dec. 25, 1973 CONSTRUCTION FOR THE VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING OF ROOMS OF EXISTING BUILDINGS Inventors: Ernst Albrecht Burghartz,

Isabellastrasse 29; Hans Guenter Fuss, Krayer-Strasse 218, both of 4300 Essen, Germany Filed: Nov. 28, 1972 Appl. No.: 310,137

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 3, 1971 Germany P 21 60 0124 US. CI 98/31, 98/29, 98/32, 98/33 A, 98/33 R Int. Cl F24f 7/00 Field of Search 98/29, 31, 32, 33 R, 98/33 A References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1885 Simpson 98/32 Hodges 98/32 982,721 1/1911 2,465,184 3/1949 Alderman 98/31 X 2,641,449 6/1953 Antony 98/31 3,343,474 9/1967 Sohda.... 98/31 3,368,473 2/1968 Sohda.... 98/31 3,415,024 12/1968 Kottarz 98/31 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,230,351 3/1960 France 98/31 Primary Examiner-William J. Wye AttorneyBenjamin H. Sherman et a1.

57 ABSTRACT Ventilation and air conditioning system for heating, cooling and ventilating existing buildings, which avoids the necessity of breaking through the walls, floor or ceiling of the building for the provision of air supply and exhaust ducts. This systems consists of an air-tight false building wall, which may be a false front wall of the building in the form of a subframe having air supply and return ducts therein having communication with the interior of the building.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED UUJE SHEEIZUF4 CONSTRUCTION FOR THE VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING OF ROOMS OF EXISTING BUILDINGS BACKGROUND, SUMMARY AND ADVANTAGES OF INVENTION Heretofore in ventilating or air conditioning existing buildings, an air conditioning unit is placed outside of the building and ducts lead from this air conditioning unit to the individual rooms of the building. This makes it necessary to place the ducts in the walls, floors and ceilings of the building with a resultant breaking through the walls, floors and ceilings and a consequent repair of the damage when the ventilation or air conditioning system is completed.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the breaking through of the walls, floors and ceilings of the building is avoided by placing at least one false wall along a wall of the building and spaced from the wall of the building and placing the air supply and return ducts in this false wall and connecting these ducts with a heating, ventilation or air conditioning system and at the same time, protecting the region of the building covered by the false wall from noise, dust and other undesirable emissions.

Thus, in accordance with the principles of the present invention, a second wall, which may a front wall, is added to an existing building front and a supply and exhaust channel network is formed in the space between the second front wall and the front wall of the building having air circulation and return ducts therein connected with air circulation and return units which may be air conditioning units which may also serve as heating units. Other air circulating ducts then lead into the building usually through the existing window openings or along the floor or ceiling of the building to circulate cool air into the building and to withdraw stale air therefrom.

The air circulation and exhaust network can readily be installed along the original wall of the building prior to the building of the false wall and the false wall can be so constructed as to conform to the original wall and to give an architecturally satisfying appearance.

Where ventilation of the rooms of the existing building is only intended, forced air circulation boxes in the form of fans may be provided in communication with the ducts and are sufficient to provide the room with fresh air or with recirculated air, it being understood that the fresh air forced into the rooms forces the stale air out of the rooms to be exhausted through a channel network between the existing wall and false wall of the building. When it is desired to heat the building in winter, the air circulation ducts may have communication with the heating system which may be a part or in communication with the blowers or fans and where it is desired to cool and heat the building as well as humidify the supply of air in the building, the air circulating means may be in the form of reverse cycle air conditioners which may be used for both heating and cooling purposes. Moreover, the air supply and return network may be used in connection with the original heating system installed in the building where such a system is in the building.

Another feature of the invention is that the false wall provides an air and water-tight wall in the form of a subconstruction, which is braced against the building wall and having glass therein in the area of the building windows and connected with the frames for the building windows as well as the opposite end walls of the building and supporting pillars therefor to further strengthen the false wall and prevent dust, water and moisture from entering the spaces between the two walls.

The advantages of the present invention besides providing a ventilation, heating and cooling system for a building, seal the wall of a building along which the false front extends and is readily and positively attached thereto.

A further advantage of the invention is that air circulation or conditioning boxes may be arranged in the area of the window support of the building window to induce fresh air from above the building window generally parallel to the ceiling of the room and to extract stale air from along the bottom of the room along the window railings.

Where air conditioning of the room is desired, the air supply channel network may be connected to an air conditioning system and the extraction channel network may be connected with suction devices such as suction fans and a mixing damper arrangement may be included for controlling the mixing of fresh air, warm air and cool air in the room.

Further advantages in the invention are that an existing building construction may be adequately ventilated or air conditioned in a simple, expeditious and economical manner.

A further advantage of the invention is that by the construction of a false wall or front spaced from an already existing building wall, with the conditioners or blowers required for the ventilation or air conditioning of the room contained in the space between the wall of the building and the false wall outside of the building proper, the space between the building wall and false wall may be used for the air circulating network without obstructing or entailing costly structural changes in the building itself.

A further advantage of the invention is that the false wall can be prefabricated and assembled without excessive personnel or time consumption with the false wall forming a protection from noise, dust and undesirable emissions.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a building structure diagrammatically illustrating a front wall of the building with a portion of a false wall spaced in advance of the front wall.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic vertical sectional view taken through the wall and window structure of a building illustrating the false wall of the invention spaced in advance of the original wall of the building.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the window structure shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view somewhat similar to FIG. 3 but drawn to an DESCRIPTION enlarged scale and partially showing the structure shown in FIG. 3.

OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1 of the drawings, we have diagrammatically indicated by reference numeral l an exterior wall of a building having windows 7 therein. Reference numeral 2 diagrammatically indicates a false wall of the building spaced from the external wall 1 and generally conforming to said external wall with the space between the walls 1 and 2 forming an air circulation space. The air circulation space is diagrammatically illustrated as having ductwork extending in the area of pillars and railings 6 and including an air supply duct 3 illustrated by dot-dash lines contained within an air exhaust duct 4 illustrated by solid lines. In FIG. 3, an air supply duct 3 is shown as being circular in cross section and as extending within the exhaust duct 4, which is shown as being rectangular in cross section and between connecting frames 14 extending along the insides of the window frames and along opposite sides of the window frames. The air circulating and exhaust ducts 3 and 4 may be connected with supply and exhaust blowers re spectively (not shown) and extend vertically along the wall of the building from the bottom to the top thereof in the space between the false wall 2 and the original building wall 1.

The supply ducts have communication with air cooling boxes 8 which are arranged between the pillars 5 and between pillars 5 and 12 for supplying cooled air to the room of the building along the tops of windows 7. The air cooling boxes 8 may be in the form of air distribution boxes and may have filters (not shown) therein, or may be in the form of air conditioners which either may be used for cooling purposes or may operate on reverse cycles for heating and dehumidifying purposes.

The false wall 2 is air and water-tight providing a closed wall, which in many buildings may be a front wall and consisting of a subconstruction 9 spaced from the building wall 1 and suitably connected to and braced to said wall to provide a rigid wall construction.

The false wall has a front panel in the area of the pillars 12 and 5 and railings 6 and has glass panels 11 in the area of the building windows 7 and in direct alignment therewith.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the subconstruction 9 includes a series of connecting frames 14 which are of a rectangular duct-like form extending outwardly of the window opening of the building. Each connecting frame has an outwardly extending leg 14a extending at right angles to the side wall of the frame and having an outwardly opening recess 14b formed integrally therewith. A divider 140 extends outwardly along the recess 14b to a sealing and closure member 14d extending along the adjacent ends of the panel 10 and the glass 11 and forms a seal therefor. The frame 14 also has an opposite leg l4e spaced from a vertical leg of an angle iron generally conforming to an angle bracket 13 by a seal 13a. The angle iron 20 is spaced from the angle bracket 13 by sealing material 13b. The seals may be of plastic or rubber material. A bolt or screw 20a is provided to secure the angle irons together while a second bolt or screw 20b secures the leg Me of the frame 14 to the angle iron 20 and the angle bracket 13. The angle bracket 13 is provided with an elongated slot 18 through which a pin or screw 19 extends which may be threaded or otherwise secured to the pillar 12. The slot 18 accommodates adjustment of the angle bracket 13 relative to the pillar 12 and also accommodates adjustment of the channel-like frame 14 relative to said pillar. A sealing material is provided between the pillar 12 and the elongated leg of-the angle bracket 13. A shield 16 extends from the opposite side of the channel-like frame 14 from the leg Me and forms a part of said frame. Said shield extends along a soffit 15 of the window frame and is spaced therefrom by a spacer frame member 17, recessed in the soffit and extending outwardly therefrom. I

A similar connecting frame 14 extends about and outwardly of each window opening.

Grills 21 open through bottom walls 26 of the ducts formed by the frames 14 and have communication with theexhaust ducts 4 to withdraw spent air from the room from positions adjacent the bottoms of the window frames.

The air cooling boxes 8 have ducts 27 leading therefrom into the room through vertical flanges 30'of the frame 14. Said ducts have grills 29 opening into the room along the top of the window frame beneath the soffit for circulating fresh, conditioned or heated air into the room. Similar ducts 27a lead from the bottom air circulating box 8 into the room along the soffit of the next downwardly spaced window and force cooled, conditioned or heated air into the room through a grill 29a. The ducts 27a extend through vertical flanges 30a of the connecting frame 14.

The exhaust channel network 4 may be connected with an exhaust channel 23 (FIG. 1) extending across the building wall adjacent the floor thereof. The exhaust channel may be connected with an exhaust blower (not shown) for drawing air from the builidng or recirculating the air through the air supply ducts 3. Suitable dampers (not shown) may be provided to effect the mixing of fresh air and recirculated air and to control the exhaust of air along the exhaust ducts 4.

It may be seen from the foregoing that the second or false wall 2 may be assembled in sections to conform to the wall and windows of the builidng and may readily be assembled around the window frames of the building and along the bottom and top of the building in a simplified manner, and that the construction is such that the false wall may be constructed entirely of prefabricated elements basically consisting of the frame sections 9 and connected front panels 10 and the respective holding angles or angle brackets 13 along with the adjustment arrangements including the screws 19 and slots 18, as well as the supply air channels 3 and cooling boxes 8. Where the false wall is prefabricated, the glass 11 is only inserted upon completion of the erection of the false wall and the exhaust channel network 4 is formed during the assembly of the front wall in the spaces between the front wall and the pillars and other parts of the building. The individual prefabricated components may be connected together as by screws or bolts (not shown) to provide a continuous false wall extending across a front or other wall of the building. The prefabricated parts may also be welded together and the air return or exhaust ducts may have grills 21 in the walls thereof facing the soffit 15 of the frame for the window 7.

We claim as our invention:

l. A structure for ventilating and air conditioning rooms in existing buildings and in combination with a building having a series of connecting walls forming a building enclosure with window openings therein,

a false wall spaced from one wall of the building enclosure,

said false wall cooperating with the wall structure of the building with which it is associated to provide air exhaust ducts,

air supply ducts extending along said air exhaust ducts,

means affording communication between said air supply and exhaust duets with the rooms of the building including means forcing air through said supply ducts to the rooms of the building.

2. The structure of claim 1,

wherein the means forcing air through the supply ducts to the rooms of the building comprise cooling boxes connected with said air supply ducts.

3. The structure of claim 1,

wherein the false wall comprises a subconstruction braced against the building front and having front facing panels, receptacles for glass in front of the building window openings and glass sealed to said receptacles.

4. The structure of claim 1,

wherein the wall of the building has pillars, and

wherein angle brackets fastened to said pillars and connecting frames connect said subconstruction to said pillars through said angle brackets. 5. The construction of claim 4,

subconstruction covering sheets form a frame conforming to the window perimeter and contain air grills leading through the bottom of the frame.

8. The structure of claim 1,

wherein the window frame includes a soffit, and

wherein the air supply cooling boxes are arranged in the area of the soffits.

9. The structure of claim 8,

wherein the air supply channel network and cooling boxes have discharge ducts discharging purified and cooled air along the soffits of the window frame.

10. The structure of claim 9,

wherein the exhaust ducts exhaust air through the bottom sheet of the frame conforming to the window perimeter and include a discharge duct con nected with a source of suction. 

1. A structure for ventilating and air conditioning rooms in existing buildings and in combination with a building having a series of connecting walls forming a building enclosure with window openings therein, a false wall spaced from one wall of the building enclosure, said false wall cooperating with the wall structure of the building with which it is associated to provide air exhaust ducts, air supply ducts extending along said air exhaust ducts, means affording communication between said air supply and exhaust ducts with the rooms of the building including means forcing air through said supply ducts to the rooms of the building.
 2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the means forcing air through the supply ducts to the rooms of the building comprise cooling boxes connected with said air supply ducts.
 3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the false wall comprises a subconstruction braced against the building front and having front facing panels, receptacles for glass in front of the building window openings and glass sealed to said receptacles.
 4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the wall of the building has pillars, and wherein angle brackets fastened to said pillars and connecting frames connect said subconstruction to said pillars through said angle brackets.
 5. The construction of claim 4, wherein a covering sheet structure extends from the subconstruction and glass along the insides of the window openings of the buildings, wherein the window openings have soffits, and wherein the covering sheets extend from said frames along said soffits and are secured thereto.
 6. The structure of claim 4, wherein the angle brackets have elongated slots therein and a securing member is provided to extend through the elongated slots to the building pillar to accommodate horizontal adjustment of the subframe relative to the building pillar.
 7. The structure of claim 6, characterized in that the subconstruction covering sheets form a frame conforming to the window perimeter and contain air grills leading through the bottom of the frame.
 8. The structure of claim 1, wherein the window frame includes a soffit, and wherein the air supply cooling boxes are arranged in the area of the soffits.
 9. The structure of claim 8, wherein the air supply channel network and cooling boxes have discharge ducts discharging purified and cooled air along the soffits of the window frame.
 10. The structure of claim 9, wherein the exhaust ducts exhaust air through the bottom sheet of the frame conforming to the window perimeter and include a discharge duct connected with a source of suction. 